There will be no Minnesotans in Richard Pitino's 2017 recruiting class, but the Gophers could have two New Yorkers.

Four-star senior power forward Hasahn French is from Middleton, N.Y. Four-star point guard Isaiah Washington, who committed to Minnesota on Sunday, is from the Bronx.

Marquette just hosted French on an official visit last weekend. Champlin Park's Theo John picked the Golden Eagles on Tuesday night, but that might do the Gophers a favor with French.

The 6-foot-7, 225-pound bruiser from Commonwealth Academy in Springfield, Mass. is scheduled to visit Minnesota on Sept. 23. The Gophers first 2017 recruit, Washington, made a pitch for French to join him at the U.

French, who will make his third official visit on Sept. 30 to Saint Louis, talked to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday before John's commitment. The way he described himself as a player sounds like a great fit for the Big Ten.

"I'd say I'm an electrifying player, a player that you would be excited to watch on defense and offense," he told the newspaper. "Just a tough guy, a guy that loves to win, does anything to make his team succeed."

A four-star prospect by ESPN.com, French is a higher rated recruit than John. He's the fourth best player in the state of Massachusets.

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Marcus Fuller joined the Star Tribune in 2016 after 11 years covering Gophers sports – and just about every other team and league in town -- for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Before making the Twin Cities his home, Marcus spent two years in The Kansas City Star sports department. Marcus grew up in Hawaii and is a 2002 graduate of San Jose State. Follow Fuller on Twitter @Marcus_R_Fuller.

The Gophers men's basketball team will honor Tayra McFarlane, the mother of senior guard Dupree McBrayer with patches on their uniforms (pins for coaches) Wednesday against Nebraska. McFarlane died of cancer Monday.